


Just tell me why

by Mareridt



Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015)
Genre: Eggsy calls days before canon, M/M, Matcher!Merlin, Pining, Spinster!Harry, Tumblr Prompt, What-If, apprentice!Eggsy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-02
Updated: 2016-01-02
Packaged: 2018-05-11 06:09:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5616517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mareridt/pseuds/Mareridt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the tumblr prompt:<br/>Harry is a spinster, who doesn’t really believe in love. Merlin is sick of listening to him complain about it and decides to set him up with one of the young, new tailors named Eggsy. Harry is hesitant but eventually ends up agreeing and meeting up with Eggsy.<br/>__________</p>
<p>From the work:<br/>Merlin huffed, taking off his glasses to rub at his eyes. “Harry, that boy is basically your type.”<br/>Harry snapped. “Since when I have a type?”<br/>“Fine, you don't!” Merlin almost raised his voice. Almost. “But you can't deny you're interested. He's a good boy.”<br/>“Are you really trying to set me up with Eggsy?! I'm twice his age!”<br/>“Does it really matter?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just tell me why

**Author's Note:**

> Work for bisexualeggy on tumblr, who posted the prompt.  
> Hope you like it, darling!  
> This is just a what if - different first meeting, where Eggsy calls way before the point in the movie and Harry has more time for him. 
> 
> Betad by Always_imagine_a_dream!

Harry Hart wasn't usually the grumpy old one to complain about this, but seeing teens snogging against a wall, or sitting in a park bench doing pretty much the same thing, or running around like dumb kids laughing and teasing each other was really irking him to the point to do it.

Manners maketh man, he was used to believe. He always respected those words, because those were words to live by, but lately his manners was lacking due to those disgusting childish obscene shows he was forced to witness by simply walking down the street straight for work.

He entered the tailor shop on Savile Row with a sigh, quickly greeting Dagonet – the tailor behind the desk as every morning – with a polite smile.

“Good morning, Galahad!” Dagonet smiled back with the fondness of an old uncle; Harry was an old man, around his late forties, but the tailor was far older than him, and the man didn't mind his behavior not a bit. “Sir Arthur is in the dining room with Merlin. They're waiting for you to join them.”

“Did they tell you why?” asked Harry, changing his hold on his umbrella for a better grip. Dagonet handed a folder from the drawer under the desk, and Harry took it quickly, opening it to just spare a glance at the files inside.

“A debriefing, then. Alright. Thank you, Dagonet, have a good day”, with a last nod, the kingsman took his leaving to the stairs for the upper floor.

“Late as always, Galahad.” Arthur slighty wrinkled his nose as soon as he opened the door, but Harry ignored him and nodded toward Merlin, who returned it. Since the two men were already sitting at the table, Harry simply glanced at the chair. His hesitation had probably been mistaken for manners, since he should have waited to be allowed to take a seat, but in fact he was considering giving an excuse and leave the room. Unfortunately, the hesitation won that round.

With a motion of his hand, Arthur allowed Merlin to speak and explain everything right after he motioned to Harry to sit at his usual place.

Just a morning like the others, Harry Hart mused with a sigh.

 

 

But of course it was not.

After the brief meeting with their boss, Merlin and Harry retired to the latter's office, Merlin immediately sitting in one of the comfortable armchairs not far from the desk.

“You look shite, Harry”, he told the man, taking note of the way the man went to his stock of alchool to pour himself two fingers of scotch. It wasn't even nearly eleven, and there he was, drinking without showing a bit of care.

“Teens don't have a bit of respect and self dignity these days”, Harry answered, pursing his lips in a severe line. The bald man frowned, taken back.

“And what has this anything to do with you?”

“I am tired, in a bad mood, wishing nothing but a day off at home with my drinks, my books and my music to relax and recover from my mission, yet I have to come here, _without a taxi_ , and the world decides to give me one of his most childish obscene shows.” Harry kept his voice even, but Merlin could really see how annoyed he was by the slighty unnoticeable movement of his left brow. But still, he hadn't really got the point. Not yet. 

“I saw at least three couples today, snogging at the side of the road without a bit of shame for the show they were giving to the world”, at that, his friend finally understood what was wrong with him. The same, old, retreated, fucking frustrating problem.

“If you feel _alone_ , then why don't you try to find someone?” Harry snorted, not something a gentleman would do, and took a sip from his drink, eyeing Merlin with just an eyebrow shot upward. 

“Of bloody course I'll do it, Merlin”, he said bluntly. “And then I'll ask you to marry me with my date, we'll have a new lovely dog running around and I'll live happily ever after with someone worthshipping me till the end of my days without ever asking me where I disappear for days without saying anything just to come back bloody and bruised till the day I won't come back at all.”

Merlin rubbed at his temple, resisting the urge to groan. He was sure Harry would be the death of him someday, if he could survive the need to choke him to death.

“Harry, you're a fit, charming man, not to mention a great agent. If you're about to give me the same old shit about not being suitable for a romantic relationship anymore, I'm having none of it.” Merlin stood up from the armchair, reaching Harry next the bottle of scotch. The bald man was tempted to take it and drink a mouthful just to avoid being mad with Harry. When his friend open his mouth to speak, Merlin spoke again. “Same thing if you're trying to bring the 'I'm a spy, I can't date a civil' topic again, because I've told ya, you could date someone of the agency if you were really willing to.”

Harry sent him a skeptical look. “We've already talked about that, too.” he commented, slighty annoyed.

“Then fuck off, mate. I'm just really having none of your sorry ass complaining about kids enjoying each other's company.”

“That was hardly just _enjoying each other's company_ , Merlin” Harry huffed and sat at his chair behind the desk, sipping again at his drink. He brought with him the entire bottle, taking away from Merlin the chance to throw it at him. “The ones I saw there were eating each other's faces off.”

“What a lack of manners” the bald man tried to tease the Kingsman, but Harry didn't take the bait.

“Exactly so” he mumbled. “Beside, Merlin, I _am_ actually too old to find a partner.”

This time Merlin groaned, loudly so.

“For fuck's sake, Harry, you're only 48, that's rather _too old_ ” but the man didn't seem to think like him, since he shook his head.

“I'm afraid it is, my friend. I'm too old to have a family on my own...”

“What part of fit, charming and great is difficult to understand for you?”

Harry gave him an evil eye for the interruption, but went on completely ignoring it. “We both know that I'm not able to have a healty relationship without fucking it up after only two weeks. I'm a Kingsman, and Kingsmen are not a good company when speaking about relationships.”

“That's bullshit and we both know it. Gawain is married, Kay just moved in with his fiancee, at least three knights are dating and Lancelot and Percival are a couple. It's you, the problem. Everytime you fucked up it was because you _wanted_ to fuck up. We both know, again, that you're too much of a dramatic queen to break up with someone like people normally do when they don't like the other, also because you always seem to pick up the wrong man or woman just to piss me off and confirm your point.”

“I'm afraid that most of it is true, too. But even without confirming my point, it still stands, and pretty strongly I may add”, on Harry's lips a small sardonic smile was playing with the exact purpose to make Merlin even mad, with a great success too.

The other man took a deep breath just to hold himself from attempting to murder him. “Then sod off and stop complaining, you dramatic son of a bitch.” He fisted his hands. “You're rather annoying to listen to after a while.”

“My apologizes, Merlin.”

Merlin suddenly wished eyes could kill.

 

 

After that, Arthur sent Harry on another solo mission. An entire week of galas and posh dinners, in which he had to befriend a man known for his experiments about cures for every kind of cancer; in fact, he didn't find a cure, but he found a way to make the tumor worse and kill the host in a couple of days. His mission was to kill the man, and destroy every single proof of his discovery.

He came back after only two days, without nothing more than a cut on the inner side of his left ankle.

Lucky son of a bitch, as Gawain gently called him when he was on his way to debrief. It didn't took much, and soon enough Merlin and Harry were at his home, drinking again a toast for the success of the mission. But Merlin knew Harry too well to not have noticed how he looked at the couples at the dinners.

Harry didn't say a word since he didn't have the excuse of lacking of manners, but his expression indeed showed a great will to complain about everything, about the loneliness of his life, the coldness of his home, but at the same time, Merlin wasn't at all avaiable to listen to him. Not when they would end like always with Harry telling him again that afterall, having a partner would be too difficult and annoying for him.

The bald man also knew too well that stopping this was up to him, but how could he resolve his friend's problem on his own?

 

 

Harry had a day off since he just came from a mission, but the next morning he was still directing to the shop. He didn't need a break, so he could use that free time to finish in advantage all the paperwork before the debrief. When he first became a spy, he definitely had underestimated the amount of paperwork that he would have to fill in after _every_ mission. He still wondered why every single bloody gunshot should have a paper on its own. There were too many of them.

However, his mind was very well distracted from those thoughts when entering the shop he heard a loud young voice swear in a rough street accent, soon followed by the sound of something heavy falling on the ground. Looking around, at first he found only the tailor at the desk, until...

“Damn it!” the voice spoke again, this time coming closer, probably from Fitting Room 1. Harry tilted up his eyebrow in confusion to Dagonet, who simply shook his head with a little smile curling up his lips. Another bumpind sound, and then the door opened.

“'m so sorry, Dag, I really am, but me mom got busy at work and Daisy's alone and--” Harry turned around to get a look of the source of the voice, but it was cut off all of a sudden, and all because Harry had forgotten to step aside, causing the speaker to bump against his broad chest and fall off the ground. The boy – because it was indeed a _very handome boy_ the one on the floor – wouldn't normally knock off the man, but he bumped against him with remarkable strenght, and since he was falling butt-first on the ground, he had all the time to grab a fist of Harry's jacket and bring him down with him.

“ _Shite_!” the hurricane with a messy blond hair looked up at Harry, both of them kneeled in awkard position on the floor, and he immediately let go of him with a strangled sound. Harry stood up without a hint of hesitation, smoothing his rumpled jacket, and then tried to help the boy to stand up as well, wasn't that he did everything on his own.

He was also currently blushing in embarassment, swallowing hard under the gazes of both Harry and Dagonet. The first thought the older man had was that he had something strangely familiar, if not...

“Shite, bruv, 'm sorry!” his rough accent reached again Harry's ears. “ _Fuck_ , I shouldn't swear!” he widened his eyes and Harry kept his surprised expression, adding to it just a bit of amusement to how the boy's face became of a darker lovely shade of red.

“Fuck. I mean, _shite_. Ugh, _Jesus Christ_! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I am--”

“Are you quite alright, sir?” Harry didn't even know why he called the boy 'sir', but he was probably the fact that he didn't want to call simply 'boy' someone so gorgeous. His eyes, blue – or green? - widened at the word, and he stopped talking.

He glanced at Dagonet, who remained silent, and then again at Harry, moving his open lips in what looked like an attempt to say something.

“Who're you?” the blond said in the end, checking him out suspiciously, and Harry did the same thing just to not stay there without doing anything. Looking what he was wearing, the Kingsman wondered briefly what a boy like him was doing there. The tailor shop wasn't a place for trainers, jeans, sportive jacket and polo. And baseball caps, as Harry noticed later, taking the cap from the floor just using his umbrella.

He certainly wasn't a customer, a theory confirmed by the fact that he seemed to know very well the tailor, Dagonet. Was he maybe a nephew coming to play a visit to the grandfather?

The boy stepped back twice, his face wary, and eyed the cap. They both stood there in silence for a lot of time until the older man remembered he was supposed to answer to a question and not just to assume things in his own mind. How ungentlemanly of him.

“Oh, my apologies.” he said, a small, polite smile attempting to lighten up the mood. The boy glanced again at Dagonet with an expression that screamed ' _really, bruv?_ '. Harry cleared his throat.

“I'm not someone important, just the man you almost knocked off yourself” Harry saw Dagonet smiling, but the young man there pursed his lips. He couldn't tell if he was doing so to keep himself from smiling as well or because he was annoyed. The boy took the cap and put it on without adding anything for a good whole minute.

“Tha' ain't an answer” he mumbled in the end. Harry stretched his hand to introduce himself properly, when his glasses started to beep all of sudden. He wasn't about to accept the call from them, but Merlin decided to do it on his own, opening also the video and the audio feed.

“Galahad, where the bloody hell are-- Why are you with Eggsy?” The Scottish accented voice interrupted in his ears as Merlin took sight of the boy in front of him, and Harry frowned visibly.

“Eggsy?” he repeated rather dumbly, shaking the blond out of his surprise.

“Oh, _fuck me_ , you're an agent” Eggsy exclaimed, almost in awe. He looked directly at the glasses, and smiled apologetically. “It's Merlin, innit? 'm so sorry, Merlin, I have to go for today, me sis is home alone and--”

Merlin cut off his words promptly. “No worries, Eggsy.”

Both Eggsy and Harry, and Dagonet later on, turned to watch the Scottish man about to step down to the last stair. So Merlin used the glasses just to know where Harry was, the Kingsman mused.

“You can go. Dagonet will see you at this evening shift, if not even tomorrow. Have a good day, lad.”

Eggsy smiled openly.

“I can make it for this evening” he promised, relieved.

Harry looked back at him and soon found out that he couldn't quite take his eyes away from his; those green-blue irises seemed to shine from joy. “You're the guv'nor, Merlin! Thanks!” he moved to step away, but bumped again against Harry, and under the surprised yet amused gaze of the older man, Eggsy blushed another time, painting his cheeks with a lovely shade of pink.

“Sorry, bruv” Harry nodded toward Eggsy, dismissing him, and smiled politely at the boy. He watched him go away, then turned to face Merlin.

Sensing troubles behind the stare of his friend, he carefully put on a blank face. “What?”

The latter didn't believe it; he was looking at him with mild interest and a dangerous gleam in his eyes. “Nothing.” he still replied. “Come, we have work to do. If I didn't know better, I'd say you're here for your paperwork.”

Harry let it go, and smiled like the bastard Merlin was subtly telling him to be. “Me? Here for paperwork? First your hair, then your keenness. Merlin, it's getting serious. You can't just go around and lose it.”

“Oh, sod off, you bastard.”

 

 

In Galahad's office, they watched again the entire feed of Harry's last mission, as it was one of the Kingsman's traditions. Well, not exactly Kingsman's, but kind of theirs. It was helpful for the report if the knight didn't remember all the details, and it was also object of a sort of debrief between the knight himself and his handler.

It was the routine between Merlin and Harry, even more so because being friends Merlin was the only one who could critize his techniques without risking to be beheaded or silently poisoned.

They were currently watching his second dinner, but Harry didn't seem able to focus on the feed. Instead, his mind was pretty much focused on a pair of blue-green eyes locked with his.

“Merlin, who is Eggsy?” he made the question still watching his laptop's screen, but noticed how neither Merlin moved an inch. He was waiting for that, the bastard.

“His name is Gary Unwin”, the Kingsman snapped his eyes on Merlin's face, shocked but without showing it.

“Unwin? Is he Lee's son?” at the tech's nod, he frowned. That certainly explained the familiarity, but... “What is he doing here?”

“Two weeks ago he called for that favor. Remember _Oxford, not Brogues,_ right?” Merlin explained. “Did you know he had an abusive stepfather? We operated to put him in jail and find a job for Michelle Unwin so she could be independent from her husband and take care of her little daughter, Daisy.”

“You also gave _him_ a job.”

“I did. Eggsy's young, and he's eager to learn. He also wants to know what was his father doing when he died, and making him a tailor apprentice here was the only way to comply.”

If Harry didn't know better, he would say Merlin grew fond of the boy in not even a week. Anyway, he stayed silent and returned his attention at the screen, musing about what he found out.

So, in the end Lee's son called. He probably was out on a mission, otherwise he knew Merlin would have called him to take care of the call, just because he had still a debt with his last protégé. He still wondered how much Eggsy was like Lee, and he knew the only way to find out was to chat with the boy, maybe while drinking a good cup of tea.

As if reading his mind, Merlin spoke again. “You should talk to him.”

Harry turned to look at his friend. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, you know, he's Lee's son, and you knew his father. You _proposed_ his father as your protégé all these years behind. He would probably want to know everything.”

The Kingsman narrowed his eyes. “You knew Lee too. You trained him. Why would he want to speak to _me_?”

“You gave him the medal. He could be already fond of you” but that sounded too much as an excuse, and both Merlin and Harry knew it.

“What are you trying to do, Merlin?”

Merlin huffed, taking off his glasses to rub at his eyes. “Harry, that boy is basically your type.”

Harry snapped. “Since _when_ I have a type?”

“Fine, you don't!” Merlin almost raised his voice. Almost. “But you can't deny you're interested. He's a good boy, and also quite fit.”

“Are you really trying to set me up with Eggsy?! I'm _twice his age_.” Merlin couldn't hide it was a good point, and Harry felt winning. In part.

“Does it really matter?” said his friend at last. Harry groaned and turned to focus on the screen. “I'll send him to you this evening.”

Harry contained himself from kicking his friend's ass. “As you like”, he answered, filling every syllable with a great amount of poisoning sarcasm.

 

 

That late evening, his plans of staying alone and muse with himself were forcefully canceled, but it wasn't an unpleasant turning of tables. He was still filling his report, when the door opened showing a boy around his mid twenties with dirty blond hair and shiny eyes smiling at him.

“Ever heard of knocking?” Harry was taken back by him showing there, but didn't let the surprise to show on his face, opting for calling him out on his lack of manners. Eggsy just smirked, stepping closer with his hands inside his jeans' pockets.

“Only when I'm casing a place to rob” the sarcasm was strong in his voice, but Harry felt he was telling the truth, deep down. Eggsy looked around the office, an impressed expression telling 'n _ot bad_ '. “Merlin told me you wanted to see me.”

Harry wondered for a moment of what made Eggsy so at ease in his office, but he couldn't quite focus on that inner question for long, not when he understood what was going on. Merlin pretended to not sense his sarcasm, as if Harry had really meant those words a few hours before, and sent really Eggsy to him like it was nothing.

And if Harry was satisfied by his friend and was indeed pleased to have the young man there with him, that was no one's business, especially not Merlin's. It already looked like the handler was always ten steps ahead, no need to confirm his thoughts.

“I... did.” he mumbled in the end, looking at the boy who without waiting for permission threw himself on one of the chair in front of the desk and looked at him expectantly. “Yes. But I'm afraid you took me by surprise, I was waiting for you tomorrow.”

Eggsy cocked up an eyebrow.

“I recall you had to babysit your sister?” Harry stood up to pour himself a glass of brandy, leaving the scotch for another time, and showed the bottle to Eggsy, asking him if he wanted a glass for himself too. Eggsy just shrugged, and the older man took that for a yes.

“I promised Merlin I would come for the evening shift” the boy took the glass as soon as Harry handed it to him, and downed half of it at once. A soft grimace was the only thing that betrayed the burning sensation of his throat to Harry.

The Kingsman watched him closely, searching for everything he could be reminded of Lee, but it seemed Eggsy was a guy on his own, since the only common points were the dirty blond hair and the broad shoulders.

“So... what do you want from me?” Eggsy seemed to be slightly uncomfortable under his intense gaze, but Harry couldn't help himself.

He was just brought back to the conversation by his voice, but he didn't say anything to not betray himself. “Do you know who I am, Eggsy?”

Eggsy snickered. “'f course I do, bruv” he answered, tilting his chin up. “You're Harry Hart.”

“The last time we saw each other you were seven years old” Harry immediately understood he didn't know that part by the surprised gleam in his irises. So, that meant he didn't recognize him as well. “And I gave you that medal. Your father saved my life.”

Eggsy's brows furrowed in a confused expression. “It was ya the man of all those years ago? That means you knew me dad?”

“The day he died, I missed something. If it wasn't for him, every man in that room wouldn't be here today.” Harry sighed, the memory of Lee Unwin's dead body in front of him as it was yesterday the day that happened. “Merlin was there too, actually.”

Eggsy laughed. “What? Merlin? The ol' tech Merlin?” he sneered. “Are you taking the fucking piss, mate?”

“No, Eggsy” Harry couldn't help but smile at his roughed accent. “You can believe me, Merlin was with us. Unfortunately,” he saw the spark in his blue-green eyes, and recognized it as an eager curiousity. “I can't tell you where we were or what mission it was. I'm afraid that's classified.”

Eggsy's face fell, but he shrugged. “Guess it's a bit too much for a tailor apprentice to know, innit?”

Harry smiled apologetically. “I believe it is.”

Eggsy nodded and downed the rest of his brandy, letting then the empty glass on Harry's desk. “That's it, then?” he asked. “You just wanted to tell me you gave me the medal?”

“Of course not”, Harry shook his head a couple of times, smiling. Eggsy seemed to lighten up. For the rest of the evening, they talked in his office about pretty much every topic that passed through their minds. Harry told him how brave he was by calling Kingsman for his mum and sister's sake firstly, and not his, and then he discovered that pretty much that was the same reason he left the Marines when he was at half training already with great results. He learned Eggsy was a selfless young man, with a great honor and respect for who deserved it, and that was pretty much the same moral Lee had. At first it was hard to make him talk about that, but as soon as he asked about his family, Eggsy's eyes shined and he launched in a greatly detailed speech about how amazing and adorable his little sister was.

Harry was left voiceless, rapt by his fond big smile, and found himself smiling nonetheless. A warm sensation spread in his chest, a pleasant one. “You're a good man, Eggsy.” he smiled. “Just like your father.”

And after being rewarded with the most beautiful smile he ever saw, Harry had never been so happy to have praised someone. Eggsy fucking _beamed_.

“Enough talking 'bout me”, the young boy said, still smiling like he couldn't help himself. “Tell me somethin' about you, bruv.”

“Don't call me bruv, Eggsy” Harry bloody hated being called like that.

“Can I call you Haz, then?”

“No. Don't even try.” the Kingsman sighed, sending him a playful scolding look. “I'm twice your age, Eggsy, be respectful.”

Eggsy scoffed. “C'mon, br-Harry! I come from the streets, there's no respect for ya old lazy sods.”

Harry laughed quietly with mischief as an aswer at his snicker, then he drew back in order to lean on the back of his chair. He clasped his hands together. “Us old lazy sods? You forget I'm an agent.”

“Oh, I don't” Eggsy said, cheeky. “I can see that, you're fit under that suit.”

Harry suddenly worked up to suppress a blush. “Indeed.” he cleared his throat, and Eggsy smirked like he just won the lottery.

“What? Can't find anything to say?” Eggst was taunting him, but Harry didn't take the bait.

“Much appreciated, Eggsy.” he chose to reply in the end. “I try to stay as fit as possible.”

“That's good. So, where do you live?” the boy moved on quickly, still smirking.

Harry smirked playfully. “Classified.”

Eggsy pouted. “How old are you _exactly_?”

“Classified.”

“You can't be serious, bruv.” Eggsy narrowed his wonderful eyes. “You're taking the fucking piss.”

“Eggsy, watch your language.” But the way Harry's lips curled up in a small mischievous smile betrayed him on his intention. “Try another question.”

The blond stayed silent for a while, musing on which could be the question that would have a different answer than the others. As soon as he found it out, he leaned forward. “Harry, are you married? Or with a lover?”

Harry surpressed another blush and tilted his head to the side. “I'm a spy, Eggsy. Having a family is something I can't afford,” if it was Merlin, they would argue again about that point. But fortunately, Harry knew that Eggsy would understand without asking, probably assuming that was common among the agents. Instead, Eggsy sounded a bit surprised.

“That's bullshit, mate” he said. “Merlin told me you're the only one who believes that.”

Harry carefully made his expression blank. “Oh, did he now?” he mumbled, and he had the pleasure to see Eggsy flush under his brown eyes, because he let slip that he asked about _the man he knocked down himself_ that morning _._ He cleared his throat.

“Yeah, he did.” he eyed the empty glass he left before on the desk, probably wondering if he could take it to stop tormenting his hands, but Harry was faster.

“Would you like another glass of brandy?” he asked, pointing also the bottle. Eggsy nodded and Harry leaned to take the glass.

“Anyway, I didn't ask 'bout ya” and there is. The confession due to embarassment. “Was just wondering if it was like the old movies, where the spies took the glory and the girl at the end of every mission. He called me dickhead...”

Harry sent him a scolding look.

“ _Fine_ , he just said _idiot,_ but then told me that beside, almost every spy had their own family, and adultery is a bad thing even for you.”

“And how did I get mentioned in it?” Harry handed him his glass again, and when Eggsy took it, their fingers brushed together for a second, in which the older man felt a pleasant shiver down his spine.

Eggsy took a sip of the glass, then cleared his voice and assumed a rigid position that looked like Merlin's. “ _No, Eggsy, it's not at all difficult for our agents to have a family and a work like this; most of them have found a way for it, because they were willing to. Actually, the only agent among Kingsmen that won't ever even consider have a family because it has its responsability is that arrogant imbecile you'll soon know as Galahad._ ” As soon as his impression of Merlin ended, Eggsy relaxed back again on the chair, smirking smugly, and left the tech's scottish accent for his rough own. “Is this enough as an answer?”

Harry laughed. “I can actually believe it's him. Only Merlin has this habit of calling me _arrogant imbecile_ and also get away with it _._ ” He played for a moment with the boarder of his own glass while looking at Eggsy, who on his side just sipped from his drink.

“So it's true? You don't want relationships?” Harry nodded in front of his surprise. “Why? Don't tell me it's because you're _old_ , you're a _spy_ or some bullshit like that.”

“No, Eggsy.” Harry sighed, pressing his lips to hide a smile. Suddenly he didn't want to have the same argument with that young wonderful boy about the same things he argued with Merlin; it was different, somehow. And Eggsy's hard tone made him realize that they were just a small part of his whole problem. “It's not because of that.”

“Then why?” for a moment the agent considered answering him, but then Eggsy stifled a yawn and Harry glanced at the watch on his wrist.

“Oh, god, it's past midnight. You'll be exhausted, Eggsy” Harry frowned and looked at Eggsy, who looked sleepy but still his self.

“Nah, 'm okay. The tailor is not that tiring job you'd think.” Eggsy smirked widely, but seeing that Harry was standing, he pouted. “C'mon, tell me!”

“Not this time, Eggsy.” Harry walked around the desk and reached him. “I'll drive you home, instead. It's the least I can do since I've kept you here far after than the end of your shift.”

“'s not a problem, mate, I can walk.” the boy stood up after a second or two, and Harry enjoyed once again the height difference between the two of them.

“Nonsense. A gentleman would never let you walk when able to drive you back”, Eggsy's eyes shined with interest.

“And you're one of them? A posh ol' gentleman?”

“Not _old_ , for fuck's sake.”

Eggsy gaped. “ _Harry!_ ” he said, scolding him with the impression of his own voice. “Watch your language!”  
Harry gave him an evil eye, but sighed again and smiled. “I supposed I asked for it, didn't I?”

“Yeah, you did.”

“Fair enough, then.” Harry motioned the door to the boy, and they reached it without hurry. “The point is, Eggsy, that all the Kingsmen are first, and foremost, gentlemen. Good manners are our rules, and we follow them in every occasion. Even when we fight.”

“'s good thing I'm just a tailor apprentice, then.” it looked like Eggsy deflated, as he was disappointed, or better, resigned about something.

“Eggsy, every single person who works for Kingsman is part of it.” Harry squeezed one of his shoulder while they walked out of the shop. “Just because you're not an agent, not yet, that doesn't mean you're not part of this organization.”

The boy snapped. “ _Not yet_?”

Harry bit his tongue. “Move on, I'll close the door while you take a seat in the car,” he gave him the keys of a kingsman's taxi while he closed the back door of the shop, then followed him straight. When he entered and took his place at the driver's seat, Eggsy looked at him.

“Wait, are you allowed to drive one of these?” the boy had his suspects, probably due to his instict. A great instict.

“Don't be ridiculous,” Harry answered with a chuckle. He turned on the engine and drove out to the main street. “Of course not.”

“What?!” Eggsy paled. “Are you taking the piss? The hell you're driving then?!”

Harry glared at him. “I _am able to_ drive, thank you very much.” he corrected himself smoothly. “But Merlin and Arthur forbade me to drive again, at least a Kingsman's car, after I almost fucked up a mission. They told me I was being _reckless_.”

Eggsy laughed loudly. “Reckless? _You_?” he laughed. “Mate, no offence, but you look the most controlled, rigid, silver-spoon-up-your-arse to be reckless.”

“None taken,” Harry tried to hide a smile again at the behaviour of the young man by his side, but it was harder each time. “So that's what you think of me? That I'm a snob with a silver spoon up my arse?”

Eggsy smirked. “What, don't you enjoy the silver suppository?”

Harry considered that the boy was just testing him; drawing the limits, how much he could press him. He wondered if playing along was a bad thing to do. “Oh, well, I usually prefer something else, but as far as I can keep this job I won't complain.”

“ _Harry._ ”

The Kingsman chortled, founding the sound of Eggsy choking in shock quite amusing. “ _Eggsy_.”

He huffed, shaking his head. “No wonder why Merlin has no hair. Bet you made them fall from first to last.”

Harry feigned an indignant gasp. “How you dare... to be absolutely right?”

He knew why Merlin had no hair, but he didn't deny that probably a bit – okay, a big part – of his stress was caused by Harry himself. Beside, Eggsy laughing was a wonderful sound. He didn't contain himself, he was spontaneous and easily exciting.

Eggsy told him his adress, and Harry smiled to himself; so the boy lived just six houses down his road. It wasn't strange since the whole block was owned by Kingsman in order to give a home to most of their employees who didn't have another place. They kept exchanging a couple of jokes on the way, till Harry stopped in front of his house and turned off the taxi. He took advantage of Eggsy stretching himself to climb off the car, go around it and open his door like a real gentleman.

Eggsy groaned, probably restraining himself from slapping his own forehead in annoyance and resignation. “Always a gentleman, innit?” he joked.

“Always” answered promptly Harry. He scorted the other to the door of his house, then let him the taxi's keys.

“What should I do with these?” Eggsy asked, eyeing the keys with confusion.

“Drive to work tomorrow, of course.”

Eggsy's blue-green eyes widened as it was something completely crazy. “Are you _mental_?!” he replied. “No way I'll drive it back to work tomorrow, Merlin's gonna ask me head on a silver plate!”

“Do you have some fixation with the silverware?” Harry tilted his head to the side, blinking innocently. They could say he was doing eyes to Eggsy, which promptly glared at him.

“Oh, fuck off. You know what I mean” he tried to give Harry the keys back, but the knight had none of it.

“Then tell Merlin you had Galahad's permission. He'll try to have _my_ head then, and he won't be able to success” to comfort him, Harry smiled openly and fondly, even if not completely feigning the expression. After all, Eggsy was an adorable boy.

The older man could clearly hear Eggsy's gears work inside his blond head, trying to find a way to avoid troubles. “Yeah, but how will ya drive back to your home?”

Harry sighed, in time to see a spark of victory pass through the boy's gaze. “Fine, it seems I have to do it.” Eggsy handed him the keys, but Harry didn't took them, action that caused the boy to frown and draw back in suspect. “Eggsy, can I trust you with a classified information?”

Eggsy narrowed his eyes. “Yeah” he mumbled. “Yeah, you can.”

“Well, I won't be needing the taxi to head home” Harry used his umbrella to point at his home. “In fact, I live six houses down the street.”

The boy gasped. “What? We're neighbours?”

“As it seems.” The older man adjusted his hold on the umbrella, then stepped back to allow Eggsy to go. “I'll go now, I don't want to hold you here more than I've already done. Good luck at work tomorrow.” Harry smiled politely, and Eggsy nodded back.

“Same with yours,” he said.

“Then, I'll say you goodnight, Eggsy.”

Before he could go, anyway, Eggsy called him back, still fighting with himself about talking, or not talking. Almost as good as Hamlet, Harry mused playfully.

“Will you ever tell me why you don't want a relationship?” so it was that the eternal doubt of the boy. Harry shook his head and smiled like a loon, unable to help himself.

“What if I was just waiting for my soulmate to appear?” he joked.

Eggsy chortled. “You're not that guy, mate, trust me. It could be a part of it, but that's not the reason.”

Harry pretended to pout, but then recomposed himself. “Not tonight, my dear boy.”

For a moment, he was sure he could heard his breath hitching in his throat, but since Eggsy just grinned and hid his hands inside his pockets, he should have just imagined it. “So... another time, maybe?”

Harry found out he was still smiling. “Perhaps next time, yes” he agreed. “Perhaps even tomorrow, if I'm in the shop.”

Eggsy seemed to lighten up just at the mere thought. “Sounds good to me!” he jolted on his feet, bouncing on his toes like a kid too happy to restrain himself. “I'll pass by after my shift with something to eat?”

Harry straightened with satisfaction. “Much appreciated, Eggsy.” he confirmed. “I'll see you tomorrow. Good night, Eggsy.”

Eggsy smiled. For a moment he waited there, then noticing Harry wouldn't move, he sighed. “Not going to move until I'm inside safe and warm?” he taunted him.

Harry cocked up an eyebrow, looking at him almost apologetically. “Just as I've told you before, Eggsy, I'm a Kingsman, and that means that I'm...”

“Yeah, yeah, first and foremost a gentleman, I got it” Eggsy shook his head, a smile still on his lips. He turned around and took his keys, opening the door. With a last glance, he had the cheek to wink at Harry. “Good night, Harry.”

Harry complied. “Good night, Eggsy” and then, he turned and left.

It wasn't until he got himself under the blankets and rested comfortly his head on a pillow that he noticed he didn't stop smiling. Not once.


End file.
